


Unrequited Life

by MicroKitty1313



Category: Free!
Genre: Almost smut, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Drugs, F/M, Fluff, Free! AU, Free! Eternal Suffering, Friends With Benefits, M/M, Multi, Past Sexual Abuse, Platonic Sex, Rare Pairings, Rin has some real issues, Runaway, Smut, Teen Angst, Train Hopping, Underage Drinking, general sadness, major smut, possible train sex, runaways - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-25 19:38:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7545403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MicroKitty1313/pseuds/MicroKitty1313
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin and Haru met one another in the tenth grade. In an unlikely turn of events, they became very best friends. Due to Rin's mother, they are doomed to be separated and whether neither one wanting it to happen, with the other being the only close friend they've ever had, Haru proposes a plan: They run away. They meet people along the way. There is love, laughter, sex, fun, heartache and general mischievousness.</p><p>**THIS FIC IS SET IN AMERICA! IT IS 100% MY AU. I AM THE LORD OF THIS REALM**</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unrequited Life

**Author's Note:**

> Updates will be slow. I'm taking this fic seriously. LoL.
> 
> Rin's personality at this point: [Pussy Liquor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgOisCX5b7g&index=5&list=PLOI9wpavamCf1K7ExkOlsENXs5GU5CuaA)
> 
> Haru's personality: [AfterLife](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR74ZadqjNA&index=45&list=PLOI9wpavamCf1K7ExkOlsENXs5GU5CuaA)
> 
>  
> 
> **MAY BE EDITED IN THE FUTURE**

Cerulean eyes scan the crowd of noisy, excited high schoolers billowing from the double-doors, chattering away about their plans for the weekend. He ignores the few curious stares he gets from inquisitive teens who’ve seen him around school. A few of them had even attempted to strike up conversations with him - which never went the way they’d obviously hoped it would. He didn’t really understand it at all. Everything about him _SCREAMS_ ‘Get the fuck away from me’, yet he still occasionally has to put forth the effort to actually ignore some moron that insisted on talking about his clothes or piercings. Or.. his tattoos. Specifically the newest addition.

He blames his delinquent friend for all of it. When he was a freshman, he never caught anyone’s eye and was left to drift through his classes - his LIFE - without drawing any attention to himself in the least. As a matter of fact, that’s how it was practically since he was born.. Right up until his sophomore year.

It was only the third week of being in 10th grade when the teacher in the front of the class was interrupted by a knock on the classroom door. After a few quiet words with what was more than likely one of the women from the office, the teacher walked back to her previous spot and slightly raised her voice. 

_“Class, we will have a new student joining us. I expect you ALL to be on your best behavior and make him feel welcomed”_

_And then he walked in. Deep, scarlet hair and mischievous ruby eyes. Hands shoved into the pockets of his baggy, ripped jeans and a loose, almost see-through, white shirt with the words (and symbols) ‘F#*@ OR FIGHT’ scrawled across the chest. The sleeves had apparently been ripped off and it was big enough that it left a pretty large space of skin on his sides not covered by any cloth. He was pretty muscular so he must be a jock, but his style and the length of his hair and the black bar through his left eyebrow stated otherwise. Not to mention the tattoo that started on the right side of his neck and trailed down the entire length of his arm all the way to the back of his hand. Spirals of cherry blossoms that seemed to be guided by a strong wind overlapped hectic, crashing waves of the ocean. All in color, all beautifully done._

_The bottoms of the guys jeans were either cut or ripped open on the sides about three inches up, and the backs were tattered from being stomped on in the black combat boots that had obviously seen better days. A braided, black wrap bracelet was buckled around his left wrist and a tan cord hung around his neck with a single, small pendant on it. The fuck was _that_? A small replica of a whistle? _

_“Would you please introduce yourself?” the teacher asked, smiling at the newcomer._

_“What’s the point? I won’t be here long” the redhead snarled._

_The teacher, whom was at least six inches shorter than the guy standing beside her, frowned and slanted her eyebrows down._

_The man-child slid his fingers through his burgundy - wait, I thought it was a dark red?! - locks and sighed, shrugging his shoulders. “Fine”. He leveled a threatening gaze over every single person in the room, “Rin Matsuoka. ‘Sup, bitches?”_

_“OH MY! Rin, I’m not sure where you’re from but we do not speak that way here. Also, you will need to look over the student handbook whenever you get home because your shirt is highly inappropriate! Now, if you would, please take a seat at the desk that Haruka is at”_

_“How the hell am I supposed to know who ‘Haruka’ is? Did you already forget I _just_ walked through the damn door?” Rin said mockingly._

_“Do you want to be sent to the office after only being here for five minutes? He is the black haired student in the back of the room beside the window. Now please, take a seat”_

_Rin chuckles, slinging his ratty, black book bag to his other shoulder and licks his lips before blowing a kiss and winking at a girl that must have been staring at him rather hard. He approaches the two-person desk, dropping his book bag to the floor instead of hanging it on the hook on the side of the desk and LOUDLY sliding the uncomfortable, blue chair back, making Haru clench his teeth at the horrific sound it produced against the terrazzo floor._

_Rin lazily slouches into the chair, bending one elbow to prop his arm against the back of his chair and turning to look at Haru, who does what he does best and ignores the other._

_After a couple of minutes slip by with the teacher returning to her lecture, Haru chances a sidelong glance at his new desk-mate only to be met by alarmingly sharp teeth and lips curled up into a grin. Rin cocks an eyebrow up and tugs at the chest of his white shirt, drawing attention to the words there._

_Haru doesn’t respond, doesn’t make any kind of facial expression, doesn’t sigh, just slowly slides his deep blue irises back to the front of the class._

_The bell rings, alerting everyone that it was time to change classes and Haru packs up his bag and stands but the teacher catches him before he’s even made a single step to the door._

_“Haruka, would you show the new student around?”_

_Haru slowly closes his eyes. On one hand, refusing would get him out of dealing with.. ‘Rin’ anymore, but it would also cause his teacher to reprimand him and possibly send him to the guidance counselor, AGAIN, which would only draw more unwanted attention to the fact that he lives alone and has been living alone since he was 15. He sighs and gives a small nod.. This will not end well._

Silky, maroon hair catches his attention while he’s grumbling to himself about how peaceful his life would be now if Rin Matsuoka would have never _FORCED_ his way in, but as soon as that toothy smile is shot his way all negativity vanishes and he lets the corners of his mouth twitch up in the smallest smile.

Haru has never had a close friend in his entire life, yet as soon as Rin showed up, the unthinkable happened. It took two weeks, _only two weeks_ , before the redhead had unwantedly crept his way into Haru’s life.. and heart. They were seniors now, Haru already being eighteen with his birthday only being a month ago. Rin was still seventeen, and would be until the following February. They had two more months left until they would graduate and be done with this ridiculous excuse of an education, but that wouldn’t make things any different. Haru’s parents would still be states away and Rin’s mother would still be living off of the government and staying drunk anytime she wasn’t sleeping. 

Rin had mentioned having a sister, but he said his mother sent her to live with his dead father's parents when she was only 3 and Rin was 4. It’s a shame Rin wasn’t forced onto them, too, because he might have had a fighting chance at life that way. But here, as he stands, he is a broken soul that’s seen far too much heartache for any adult, let alone teenager, to bear. 

Haru turns and begins walking away from the school before Rin can catch up to him. He doesn’t even flinch when an arm wraps around his shoulders from the right and a finger comes up to flick the three hoops of his helix piercings just above the silver cuff clinging to his auricle.

“They look good on you” Rin smiles.

“So what did they say this time?” Haru ignores the compliment, choosing to focus on the problem at hand.

“Whatever” Rin brushes the question off, leaning in to run his tongue along the shell of Haru’s ear, over the sensitive skin of his newest piercings.

Haru turns his head to the side, away from Rin’s mouth, “They called your mom this time, right? I want to know what was said”.

Rin clicked his tongue against his jagged teeth and let his arm fall from Haru’s shoulders back down to his side, “She was drunk, as usual, and they were talking about sending me to a boarding school. Some place that will keep me until I’m eighteen and then kick me out on my ass. It doesn’t really matter because the stupid bitch wouldn’t waste money on something like that when she could drink it all.” Rin ends his sentence with a sarcastic laugh and then baring his teeth to the world. He quickly drops his aggressive expression when he reaches over to lift up Haru’s sleeve, “How’s it lookin’?”

 

“It’s fine” Haru responds, glancing down at his own shoulder to the dolphin pushing a broken cherry blossom branch on it’s nose. Under that, he had almost an exact copy of Rin’s arm, cherry blossoms in spirals, circling his arm over harsh ocean waves. But his was only a half sleeve at this point. “What about yours?”

“Amazing” the redhead grins, pulling up his sleeve to show his best friend the shark holding the other end of the broken sakura branch in it’s teeth, swirling fluidly just at the top of his shoulder. 

It was stupid, and so very teen-girl cliched, but they’d become so close that Rin was willing to get this over-top of what was already inked into his skin and Haru couldn’t refuse him because.. Rin means so much to him. Something like this was so _permanent_ , something that shown they would be with each other forever, no matter if they fought or.. moved away.. 

“Do you want to spend the night?” Haru mutters, rolling the sleeve of his dark blue, safety pinned shirt back down. 

“Would I rather be anywhere else?” Rin answered, grinning at his slightly shorter best friend with those carnivorous teeth.

Fifteen minutes later, they were standing outside of Rin’s beat up, worn down house. Rin kicked at a few small pebbles on the sidewalk and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“You can stay out here. She’s been home for at least thirty minutes so she’s probably wasted. I won’t be long” Rin grumbles, locking his eyes on his old combat boots.

“Rin, it’s fine. I’ll come in” Haru just didn’t want Rin to face this alone. He’s seen his friends mother completely fucked up out of her mind on several occasions, but it always seems to embarrass Rin to the point that he cries later, once they’ve reached Haru’s house and are safely tucked away.

“Okay” Rin grunts and keeps his head down while walking up the pathway, to the steps and onto the front porch. He pauses for a moment, hesitating to open the door, but then rushes in - full throttle - into what they both know are waiting on the other side.

Hazel, unfocused eyes dart back and forth as the person who gave birth to him drunkenly lifts her head, pushing her burgundy hair out of her eyes to give Rin a once-over. “Ya fuckin’ happy? Ain’t been in this school for more than a god damn year and their already wantin’ ta kick you out, you piece of shit”.

Haru can actually hear Rin swallow and then follows him with his eyes as he marches across the disheveled living room and into the short hallway, abruptly turning to the right to enter his bedroom. 

“Stupid little cunt, I’m talkin’ to you!” Rin’s mother shouts, swaying back and forth on the sofa with a bottle of Jack Daniels fisted in her hand. “You get a dick shoved up ‘yer ass ONE FUCKING TIME and you start acting like some prissy little bitch”

Haru’s heard this enough to put the pieces together. Rin’s never talked about it but from everything that _this… woman_ has said over the two years or so they’ve been friends, he’s come to the conclusion that Rin was raped about three years ago by one of his mother's boyfriends.

“Technically, it’s been closer to three years, _MA_ ” Rin fires back from his room, aggressively rummaging through draws to find clothes to shove into his bookbag. 

“You talkin’ back, boy?!”

And Haru steps forward, into Rin’s mothers hazy, visual space. “Hello, Mrs. Matsuoka”

As soon as something clicks in that intoxicated head of hers, and she realizes Haru was speaking to her, she softens “Hey, baby. I already told you not ta be so polite with me.” 

_This_ usually happens, too. Rin’s mother would flirt with Haru and the more she had to drink, the more forceful and explicit she became with her efforts. It makes Haru extremely uncomfortable but if he can successfully pull her attention from Rin, then he’d suffer through it. 

Haru nods to her, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the wall. He used to despise his parents for abandoning him, always felt that he’d deserved better, but after Rin had invited him into his poor excuse of a home one day, stopping by to gather up some clothes when he thought his mother wouldn’t be home for a while but she suddenly showed up and Haru first witnessed how cold and abusive this woman was, Haru was thankful his parents simply left him instead of being subjected to grow up like _THIS_.

“Why do you hang ‘round my boy? You’re too good for the likes of him. HE’S TRASH JUST LIKE HIS FUCKING DEAD FATHER!” Rin’s mom yells the last part, obviously aiming it towards Rin who promptly slams his closet door in response.

“Try’nna break shit, Rin? How about I break yer fucking arm, then!” and she’s standing and taking uneven steps towards the hallway.

Haru knows his voice comes out cracked and desperate but he wants to stop this _NOW_. This has also happened before, Rin’s mother using him as a punching bag and Rin just lets her, only moving an arm to fold over his face to shield it from any blows because he can’t hide the bruises that show up there. Rin is a good bit taller than his mother and muscular enough that he makes her thin frame look almost child-like. He could defend himself, he could restrain her. He could hurt her, if he really wanted to. “Mrs. Matsuoka, Rin is a very good person!”

The woman stops mid-step and slowly lowers her foot back onto the filthy carpet, turning her head to look back at Haru. “You poor thing, he’s got you all fucked in the head, hasn’t he? Well you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout him messin’ up either one of our lives anymore ‘cause he’ll be goin’ to a boarding school in California by the end of next week. A _military_ boarding school.”

“We don’t have the money for that!” Rin growls, stepping out of his room and into the hallway with his over-stuffed backpack. Rin already has plenty of clothes at Haru’s and it seems like the redhead has been slowly moving his things into Haru’s house, but Haruka doesn’t mind. Living with Rin would be great.

“That’s where you’re wrong my little fuck-up. Because I’m a good mama I haven’t touched the money in the savings account that your stuck-up grandparents started for you the day you were born. I already made the call and because I’m nice I even made sure they had a pool an shit, so you’ll be able to keep swimming. You better enjoy this weekend, honey, ‘cause you ain’t gonna be a burden to me or Haruka here for much longer. Oh and that stupid shit in yer ears and eyebrow? Those’ll have to come out.” She’s grinning, pointing at Rin’s industrial piercing and the orbital in his auricle. “How ‘bout I go ahead and snatch them out?”

Haru’s mouth goes dry and his stomach knots up. Rin _can’t_ leave. He was the first person, the only person, to genuinely care about Haru. His only friend. His first… everything. Yes, Rin could be really annoying and they often fought but it never lasted long and was never serious, anyway. “Rin can live with me! We can have all of his stuff moved out today! You won’t have to see him ever again.”

“Yer parents wouldn’t want this garbage living there. You should stop bein’ so nice to him, he doesn’t-”

“YOU CAN’T SEND HIM AWAY!” Haru’s yelling, balling his hands into shaking fists by his sides and eyes wide. 

“Sorry, baby. It’s already a done deal. Besides, you need to be away from him, he’s already rubbin’ off on you.. Talkin’ back to yer elders..” and she laughs, this gut-wrenching, dry wheeze that makes Haru want to vomit.

Haru narrows his eyes and parts his lips. He’s going to tell this _demon_ exactly what he thinks of her. That _she’s_ the reason Rin is so messed up. That Rin would be better off without _her_. That she would be doing the entire fucking WORLD a favor if she would finally just drink herself to death. But before a single sound can leave his mouth, Rin is grabbing his wrist and pulling him to the door, leaving it wide open as he jumps the steps and causes Haru to stumble down them but he manages to find his footing before gravity could make him faceplant.

Rin finally releases Haru when they’re at least a block away from his home - his _HELL_. Haru follows after Rin, who is storming down the sidewalk, in complete silence. 

They wait until they’ve made it into the familiar warmth of Haru’s empty house before either of them relaxes even in the smallest way, Rin throwing his backpack to the floor and immediately heading up the stairs to Haru’s bedroom.

Haru veers off into his kitchen to retrieve two bottles of beer from the fridge from the pack he’d acquired with his fake ID, thanks to Rin and his shady acquaintances. He makes his way up the stairs, replaying everything that’d just happened with Rin’s mother. His heart hammers against his chest and he knows that Rin probably needs this beer far more than _he_ does. Who would have known that Rin’s last prank would have landed him in so much trouble? Despite him acting-out all the time, he was very popular, the majority of the student body loving him. On top of that, Rin had quite a few teachers on his side. Most of them had had encounters with Rin’s birth vessel and understood his situation and the cause of his disdain of authority. 

Haru falls onto the bed next to where Rin is lying, scowling at the ceiling like it’s the thing that’s put him in this fucked up situation. He uses the corner of his scarred up nightstand to pop off the top of the beer, like he’s done so many times before, and uses the bottom of the cold, sweating bottle to nudge Rin’s shoulder. “We’ll figure this out”.

Rin huffs, taking the bottle from the others hand and propping up on his forearm to take a long, slow sip before speaking, “There’s nothing to figure out. That’s it. I’ll just go through this stupid shit and I’ll come back after my birthday”.

“That’s.. That’s six months away. You’re okay with that? ‘Cause I’m not fucking okay with that.” Haru gulps down his beer far faster than he knows he should, the foam is going to make him feel horrible and bloated.

“Well what the fuck do _you_ think I should do? Huh, Haru?! What brilliant fucking plan do you have to get me out of this?”

Haru sighs, setting his empty bottle on the nightstand and shifting so that when he lays back, his head rests on Rin’s thigh. He raises one hand above his head, sliding it under the hem of Rin’s well-worn, black Smashing Pumpkins t-shirt, the word ZERO on the front in silver with a star underneath the letters, and gingerly traces his fingertips over the dips of Rin’s abs. “I haven’t thought of one, yet.. But I will. _We_ will”.

Rin leans back against the mattress he’s become so accustomed to. Since befriending Haru, he’s spent many - MANY - nights here. He grips his beer in his hand by his side, not wanting to move away from Haru’s touch to set it down anywhere. He puts his other hand to use, running his fingers through thick, smooth, black hair. “I don’t want to leave you” he whispers, closing his eyes.

Haru has to keep it together, he can’t lose his shit right now. If he does, then Rin’s going to freak out and they’ll either end up fighting or getting so messed up all they’ll be able to do is sleep the next two days away. No, he’s got to come up with a solution. He’s not going to have his best friend ripped away from him all because some alcoholic piece of shit can’t grow the fuck up and actually be a mother. 

“Hey, Haru?”

“Mm?” is all Haru can muster right now, enjoying his hair being played with.

“Will you pierce my lip for me?” 

Haru shrugs. Why the fuck not? “Yeah. Did you bring the stuff?”

“In my bag. Needles and alcohol.. All that shit. I was thinking shark but decided on spider bites. I think four piercings around my mouth would just draw even more attention to my teeth”.

“We damn sure don’t want _that_ to happen” Haru deadpans, removing his hand from the warmth of Rin’s stomach to stand and lazily drag himself downstairs to retrieve Rin’s backpack. Once he returns, he sets everything up, fighting with the latex gloves and opening a new piercing needle and sterilizing it. He digs the hoops Rin wants out and repeats the process.

This isn’t anything new to either of them. Haru had done Rin’s latest piercing himself and Rin had stabbed every single hole in Haru’s ear, himself. Tattoo’s were done by a professional, another one of Rin’s ‘friends’, but as payment Rin would do odd jobs around the parlor - cleaning or answering phones, scheduling appointments and organizing paperwork. He didn’t mind, it kept him away from his mother.

“Right or left?” Haru asks, eyes darting back and forth across Rin’s bottom lip, marker in hand and ready to dot his target.

“Right. You think?”

Haru nods, leaning forward and delicately pressing the tip of the marker to Rin’s soft skin, then judging how much space is needed between the first dot and the second, finally deciding on a placement and marking it. He readies the needle and doesn’t even count down before pushing it through, Rin isn’t bothered by the pain. He slips the first black, seamless ring through, popping the segment piece in place, and sets to work on the second hole, biting his own bottom lip while he adjusts to make sure he get’s the angle right.

Once they’re done, Rin goes to the bathroom to clean his piercings and admire Haru’s handiwork in the mirror. Haru cleans up his mess, putting everything in a small plastic bag and tying it off, then chunking it in the trashcan. By the time he get’s back to his room, Rin is already sitting on the edge of the bed, grinning up at him.

“I think dolphin bites would look good on you. You have a small mouth so not much else would work too well” Rin plays with the hoops with the tip of his tongue.

Haru lifts an eyebrow, “My mouth is fine the way it is”.

“C’mere” Rin using his hand to motion for Haru to step forward, grabbing the others hips as soon as he’s close enough and guiding him to straddle his lap. “It’d be really hot”.

Haru rolls his eyes, draping his arms over Rin’s shoulders, “I’m already hot. You tell me all the time”.

“But this?” Rin licks right beneath Haru’s bottom lip, moving up and slipping it back into his mouth to nip at the plump flesh. “Let me do it”.

“I’m beginning to think we’re only friends so you can dress me up and customize me”

Rin hums in his throat, “Not the only reason” he smirks, sliding his hands down and cupping Haru’s ass.

“This is the strangest friendship I’ve ever had”

“This is the _only_ friendship you’ve ever had” Rin counters.

Haru tilts his head, his fringe swaying into his eyes, “True”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rin’s abdomen slides back and forth on top of Haru, giving him the friction he needs. They’re sweaty and panting, clinging to one another so tightly it would be impossible to separate them.

 _This_ is nothing new, either. Well, at least not within the last year. They’d spent that day swimming, Rin walking home with Haru late in the evening. The streetlights were flicking on as the sun cast an orange farewell for the night. It took a few steps for Haru to realize that Rin wasn’t beside him anymore. He turned around, blinking at the redhead in confusion.

“What is it?”

Rin parts his lips but then presses them back together in a firm line. This was odd behavior for him at this point. He and Haru had already become so close and Haru knew all about his mom and Rin talked to him about everything and vice versa. 

Haru retraces his steps, stopping in front of his best friend. “Rin?”

“I” Rin pauses to clear his throat, “I’m in love with you, Haru. Not like a ‘let’s date’ kinda way but like.. Just as a friend”. He’s rubbing the back of his neck now, looking to the side - at the ground. “It’s hard to explain. I don’t even really understand it”.

Haru’s brows angle down, hardly noticeable. He takes a minute to process, replay the words that were just spoken, studying Rin’s face. He’d already come to terms with these feelings, knowing it was a love born out of the bond they share, the way they could chase the pain and the loneliness from each other. The ability to make the other feel _wanted_.. _Needed_. “I understand”.

Rin looks startled, eyebrows coming together in worry “No I.. I don’t think you do. Sometimes, I want to kiss you”.

Haru almost laughs. Seeing Rin like this is ridiculous. This is the guy that fucks girls in the bathroom stalls at school, granted.. He usually get’s something out of it, leading the poor girls on so he can use them for their car or or their parents money. Once he’s got what he wanted, he leaves them heartbroken and moves to the next. How the hell is he still popular? Haru shakes his head, huffing out a small laugh and taking a step forward into Rin’s space. “Then do it”.

“I haven’t kissed anyone in a long time” he whispers, breath ghosting over Haru’s lips.

Haru almost snorts. THAT he did **not** know. So this entire time, Rin’s been banging it out with these chicks and hasn’t even had the common courtesy to make out with them? Rude. “Get over it”.

Rin places his hands on Haru’s shoulder, taking a shaky breath and very, VERY FUCKING SLOWLY, leaning forward.

Holy fuck, Haru can’t take this anymore. He doesn’t even let Rin get halfway before he’s crashing into him, moving his mouth hungrily. He moves his hand up, tangling his fingers into silky, wine coloured locks, catching a glimpse of fiery crimson eyes that catch the sun’s dying light before they slip closed. The rest is a blur. Making it to Haru’s, throwing clothes to the floor as they make their way, clumsily, up the stairs and into Haru’s bedroom. And that’s how Haru lost his virginity…

To this obnoxious, insane, broken, wild, beautiful jerk that is his best friend. 

“There?” Rin asks, breathless and rocking his hips harder.

“Yeah.. Right there” Haru gasps back.

Rin bites along Haru’s jaw, focusing on hitting the same spot that made Haru feel best. “You gonna let me - _hahh_ \- do it?”

Oh my god, WHY is he talking? “Do what?”

“The bites.. The piercings”

“Fine! Yes, I don’t give a shit. Just shut the fuck up”. Haru can feel Rin smile against his skin, moving with a bit more enthusiasm and bringing them both over the edge in just a few more thrusts.

Sometimes, it’s like this, Rin needing control, feeling like nothing that happens in his life is his decision. Scared, though he usually refuses to show it. When this happens, Haru let’s Rin take him however he wants - rough and angry or.. Like tonight: Slow, sensual, getting off more on just _feeling_ each other than the act itself. Other times, Rin wants to be shown that someone wants him, cares about him. Those are the times that Haru takes charge, accepting every part of Rin that he’s willing to give. 

Rin has rolled them over so he isn’t crushing Haru. He weighs a bit more than Haru and he’s slightly broader, more muscular. Haru has slid down a little, resting his head on Rin’s chest with his eyes closed. Rin smooths his hands up and down Haru’s back, staring up at the posters on his friends ceiling - bands, water, dolphins.. One of the planets and that weird ass fish mascot looking thing. Rin hates it when he wakes up and his eyes focus on THAT ONE. 

“Let’s leave” Haru’s voice as quiet as a soft breeze.

“Hm?”

The slightly smaller male shifts, crossing his arms over Rin’s chest and resting his chin on them, making eye-contact so that he’s taken seriously. “Run away”.

Rin chuckles, but amuses Haru anyway “Where to?”

Haru shrugs, “I don’t care. Somewhere that your mom can’t find you”.

The smile showing the sharp, jagged teeth slowly falls to a frown, “That’s a stupid idea. You’re already eighteen.. As soon as school is over, you’re free! Besides, you know that bitch would have the cops on my ass in a heartbeat and I have enough shit on record to get sent to juvie if they catch me. Plus, wouldn’t you get arrested for like.. Aiding and abetting or some shit?”

“I don’t really care because we won’t get caught” Haru’s eyes shimmer in the glow from the outdated laptop on his desk. Rin only brings it so he can write down song lyrics.

Rin sits up, Haru moving with him and straddling his thighs, “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Haru casually reaches over and tugs at Rin’s sleeve to get him to slow down. They’d showered and packed, shoving as many clothes as they could fit into their backpacks but leaving room for bottles of water, a few cans of whatever the fuck they could find (Haru made sure he got all seven cans of mackerel crammed in) and Rin not forgetting cleaning supplies for their piercings, the rum and vodka, weed, or a charger for their phones. You know, necessities.

They were smart enough to pack other things they actually needed: Toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, bodywash and shampoo. Maybe they should have left the booze? Oh well, too late now.

“This is dumb. Are we hitchhiking? What the fuck are we doing?” Rin grumbles.

“I’ve heard of people hitching on trains. Sounds like we’d be less likely to be tracked that way”

“Fuck it” Rin replies, jogging across the street in the direction of the trainyard. “You think it’ll be Sunday or Monday before they realize we’re gone?”

“Monday.. Maybe even Wednesday. Your mom said you would be gone by the end of next week so we might even have five days”

“Are you sure about this? I don’t want you to screw up your life over me” Rin stops, turning around to look at his best friend.

The corners of Haru’s mouth twitch up into a faint smile, “You’re so conceited” he says, walking past Rin, “My life was already fucked way before you came along”.

They approach lines of boxcars and containers, Haru tripping over a stray piece of wood beside the rails. “What now?”

“How the fuck should I know? You’re the one who suggested this!”

“I guess.. Look for a mostly empty car or something?”

Rin clicks his tongue between his teeth, marching towards a row of cars and peering inside the first three he comes close to. “There’s more on the other side. C’mon” he says, beginning to walk between two to step over the coupler connecting them.

“HEY! HEY! STOP!” a high pitched voice calls.

Rin and Haru freeze, unsure if they should run or just give up now. 

A short, blonde woman finally catches up to them, light green eyes wide and brows knitted together, “What in world are you doing? You could have been killed!”

“Huh?” Rin asks, oblivious.

“If those cars would have started rolling, you would have been caught between them and eventually run over. Jesus!”

“Oh” Rin, pushes his hands into his pockets, looking mildly embarrassed. “We were just.. Um..”

“Hopping, right?” The woman chuckles. “Eh, I’ve come across quite a few kids like you. Where are you trying to go?”

“Anywhere” Haru deadpans.

“Trying to stay in Florida?”

“Fuck no!” Rin blurts out, biting his bottom lip at his blatant stupidity.

“Oh, don’t worry about it, sweetie. I work _here_. You think I don’t hear far worse things than that on a regular basis?” She snorts. “Look, I’m guessing you two have never done this before, hm?”

Rin shakes his head, still unsure what this woman’s angle is.

“Okay, for starters: NEVER WALK BETWEEN THE CARS! And always check the track before you cross it. Don’t want to be hit by a row of silent cars. Secondly: Just casually strolling up and thinking you’ll be able to get on is never smart and neither is having no idea which train you’re looking for.”

“So, you’ll need to walk to the end down here and go to the next track. You’ll come up on a mostly empty car there. You’re lucky the guard is almost done making his roads and that train is about to leave. You’ll be on this one for about four hours and then need to catch-out on a junk train at the next stop in Live Oak. I’ll give my friend a heads up to keep a look-out for you two so she can tell you which train to take. If you manage to get on the right one, you’ll be on it for maybe an hour and a half and end up in Valdosta. Now get going, the ‘bull’ is coming back. And be careful, okay?”

“Thank… you?” Rin is completely lost, but he shifts his pack and turns to follow the lady’s instructions, Haru on his heels.

They manage to find the car and hop on, settling in with their backs on the rear wall.

“Last chance if you want to back out” Rin glances at Haru.

Haru rolls his azure eyes and then leans his head against Rin’s shoulder. “Stop. We’re doing this, no turning back”. 

Rin turns to look down at his friend, kissing the top of his head and promptly swatting at the others hand, “Stop touching them! They’ll get infected!”

Haru grimaces, “They feel weird. Sorry I’m not used to having studs in my lip.”

“They aren’t in your lip, they’re below it. And I was right, it looks hot on you”

Rin’s heart jumps to his throat and he feels Haru wrap his arms around his own when the car suddenly jerks forward. He briefly sees the nice woman that helped them in the bright lights surrounding them as the train rolls out of the yard. Within a few minutes, the outskirts of the city are flicking in and out of his view and soon, the only light is coming from the moon. It’s beautiful and exhilarating and he wants to scream and yell and cuss and maybe even dance. But Haru is still holding him tightly, silent. Guilt floods through him.

‘ _Haru didn’t really want to do this. He didn’t want to leave. This is my fault_ ’.

“Oi, Haru. You alright?”

Haru says something but his voice is so low Rin can’t make it out over the clacking of the wheels on the rails. “What?”

Haru looks up at him, head still against his shoulder, eyes wide “I said.. I’m excited. This is it, you’re getting away from her. We can start our own lives somewhere else, be whoever we want to be. What do you want to be, Rin?”

Rin smiles, moving his scarlet irises back to the opening of the car, watching the silhouette of trees blur by, highlighted in a soft blue hue. “Whole”.


End file.
